I used AVID for my mite problem 6 month ago and followed the following recommendation. Spray with AVID making sure you get the under surface of the leaves which can be a pain. 1 week later with something else. I chose Malathion. Repeat the process for week 3 and 4. Since then spray with something once a month. I have used Neem oil, Malathion and one more application of AVID. The Ag pesticide expert I consulted is of the opinion that rotating different approaches prevents the development of resistant bugs. It's been 6 month and I am retiring the heavy stuff and keep spraying with Neem oil and Ag soap once a month only. So far, so good. Nick

LMBO...prevent them, not in my world. They take something down every year-usually mums like this year-almost my tagetes lucida. I think the best thing is spraying them with water every so often. Spray during the day or morning when the plant will have time to dry so they don't turn around and get powdery mildew. People say that spider mites don't like humidity so that's why spraying helps...but they grow fine in FL which is the most humid place I've ever lived-sheesh, towels mold in the closets. This may have been luck, but I was treating some other plants for powdery mildew the other day and my marjoram had spider mites so I hit it with the same baking soda/oil/ivory dish soap solution I was using for the PM. Now the spider mites are totally gone, and I had been trying to fight them with just water. I don't know if I stumbled on something but it seemed to work better than pure water and it is the P.M. cure so maybe that would be a good idea for rosemary, I know that this mixture is fine for rosemary. You know your area best Heathen1 but her in Tx I had spider mites within the last few weeks. Here it hasn't been consistently cold enough, but they are better than during the deep summer. Oh, watch how hard you spray, I broke 1/2 a mum plant by spraying too hard. And get that rosemary outside, it will love you for it, Heathen is right.

Here's the thing. Your phobia is irrational, as are ALL phobias. You know that. I don't see how you can expect others to support you in your irrational fear of a harmless spider. Sympathize....absolutely! But to gather all others around you to enable you in this debilitating fear just isn't right. I'm a reformed (recovering?) arachnophobe, myself. Because my profession AND avocation keeps me outside most of the time, I had to get over it, you might say. I had moved to the south, where you can't even image the numbers, kinds, and sizes of the spiders. I simply educated myself out of my fear. The more you know about the 'enemy' the less you will fear it. Losing the fear was like an enormous weight being lifted from my shoulders. Anyway...my story isn't going to help you. You could completely give up the outdoor activities that might bring you into range of one of these spiders. You could force your husband to go out into the garden areas and around the house with a broom a few times a day to do a 'sweep'. Certainly he can do that prior to whenever you wish to step into the yard. Luckily (for the rest of us) there really are no chemical repellents for spiders. No one is going to recommend chemical pesticides....though there might be some spider killer on the market. It hurts me to think about it. The ironic thing is that the beautiful Black and Yellow Argiope is one of the most benign of all spiders. They won't attack you. They won't jump out and surprise you. They never leave their web in order to get a closer look at you. They are one of the most predictable spiders around, and once you understand and believe that....you could make yourself become comfortable with them. Have you researched desensitization techniques on the internet? For the most part, phobias are one of the easiest of mental issues to overcome. We don't think so when in the clutches of a disabling fear, but it's true. Good luck with your problem. Let me know if I can help.

Mites damage orchids quickly and quietlyoften their presence is not noticed until significant damage has occurred. Mites are visible, but their presence is easily determined by rubbing a white cloth over the area that is damaged. If mites or their eggs are present, a brownish residue will be left on the leaf. This will come off and be visible on the towel. Some spin light webs which are visible on the plant or at the base of the plant. A very good natural remedy is an oil/soap treatment. Dr. Martin Motes recommends using a light oil--such as vegetable oil. Olive oil is very heavy and could potentially damage plants. Using 2 TBS oil/gallon is sufficient, you can add a teaspoon of baking soda for a bit of antifungal. Remember to keep shaking the solution in the container to keep the oil mixed with the water. Spray thoroughly on all sides of the leaves. FOLLOW UP with a soap solution about 7 days later. Using 2 tsp/gallon of Joy or Dawn (dog shampoo is great too) not only does a number on the pests, it helps clean off the oil treatment. I actually follow up with a third treatment in another week with the same soap solution. The soap/oil mixture remedy has been shared in the past, but the University of Florida recently discounted it as the two agents act in direct opposition of each other and essentially decrease the effectiveness of the effort. Just like the TV ads say, the dishsoap is designed to cut grease (oil) in its tracks! :) AOS recommends Malathion, or Volk Oil/Sunspray for scale. Also Knox Out 2 FM or Orthene Turf, Tree and Ornamental Spray. Mites are nasty buggers to get control over. If the infestation is confined to one plant, isolate it to prevent spreading--watch for that carefully. Be careful to follow the label on preparations TO THE LETTER to avoid damage to plants. One tip for success is to make sure you do TWO treatments of your selected poison about 7-10 days apart in order to catch newly hatched pests. Submitted by Rhonda Heide